Chapter 80 What Kind of Beast
Lu Chengjing's expression was slightly restrained, and scenes of the past flashed before his eyes. He said softly, "Actually, it's not a glorious thing."
Shang Wan supported his chin with one hand, stirred the fire with a long wooden stick in the other, and listened quietly.
"I've been able to remember things since I was about a year old. Because I was born prematurely, I've been a medicine jar since I was little. I started taking medicine while I was still drinking milk. After I started to remember things, I would cry when I saw medicine, and I would also cry when I saw things that looked similar in color to medicine. My mother had no idea what to do with me, but she would always comfort me gently..."
Lu Chengjing looked at the sparks dancing in the orange flames and spoke slowly, but said a lot.
It is said that when he was sick as a child, his mother stayed awake all night by his bedside, quietly wiping away tears.
He said his family had consulted many doctors, but every one of them said he wouldn't live past 20. His mother wept until her eyes were swollen, his father's brow was constantly furrowed, and his two younger brothers, though not yet very old, were also deeply worried.
It is said that in order to prevent him from getting sick, his family restricted him from leaving the room. Occasionally, he could peek out the window and see birds on the branches chirping together.
He said that his mother became increasingly haggard in taking care of him, and prayed to gods and Buddhas all day long, hoping that Buddha could save him.
He said that his father rarely stepped into his house. Perhaps because they spent less time together, he was not as sad when the old man saw the young one die.
He said his two brothers would take turns visiting him. The eldest brother would tell him stories, and the second brother would bring him some exquisite toys from outside. In front of the two-year-old, the two brothers would complain about their father's strictness, the teacher's harshness, the heavy schoolwork, and the lack of time for play.
When she heard that he had not been sick for a few days, her mother was overjoyed and quickly sent someone to the temple to donate money for incense.
He said that he longed for the outside world. Since his eldest brother couldn't take him out, he taught him to read without telling their father and secretly brought him picture books so that he could get a glimpse of the world through the books.
He said that he heard his second brother complain that he didn't want to study and wanted to be a wanderer and travel around the world.
He said that when he was three years old, he had a lively birthday party. The whole family gathered together, and his mother and brother made him a small bowl of longevity noodles. His father looked a little rounder than he remembered.
It is said that when he was four years old, a great master came to Qingchi Temple, and his mother hurried to meet him...
"And then?" Shang Wan was listening intently when he suddenly stopped talking.
She turned her head to look at the person beside her, but found that Lu Chengjing was pursing his lips tightly, his left hand was clenched into a fist, and blue veins were bulging on the back of his white hand, as if he was trying hard to suppress something.
Shang Wan was slightly stunned. What... happened?
"Lu Chengjing?"
Lu Chengjing seemed to be lost in his memories, staring blankly at the fire, without any response to Shang Wan's gentle call.
Shang Wan frowned, grabbed his clenched left hand, and pried open his slender fingers one by one with irresistible force.
Looking at the four crescent-shaped marks on her palm that were almost bleeding, she hesitated for a moment, reached out and gently rubbed them, until she felt the arm she was holding relax, she stopped and turned her head to look.
Lu Chengjing's eyes were dark, and it seemed as if a man-eating beast was living in his dark eyes, staring at her without blinking.
At this moment, Shang Wan had the illusion that he was being targeted by a high-level mutant beast at the end of the world.
She blinked, reached out and pressed the ends of Lu Chengjing's rouge eyes, raised her eyebrows, and said, "So beautiful."
It looks even better when its claws are exposed than when it is docile. It is indeed her fox.
Lu Chengjing's expression changed slightly, and he slowly approached Shang Wan until their noses touched.
The eyes were like deep pools, reflecting the firelight, as if tiny stars fell into them.
Every time her long eyelashes blinked, it was like wings plucking at Shang Wan's heartstrings.
Shang Wan was a little overwhelmed. Was he going to seduce her if his injury healed? What if she couldn't control herself? Wouldn't this guy crawl into a crack in the ground when he woke up?
She reached out and lowered Lu Chengjing's forehead to push him away, clearing her throat. "The thing that bothered you happened when you were four years old, right? Can you tell me about it now? If it's really painful, you..."
"That day, my mother took people out early in the morning and went to Qingchi Temple to look for Master Kong." Lu Chengjing grabbed Shang Wan's hand with his backhand, put his fingers through the gaps between their fingers, and put their palms together, interlocking their fingers.
Shang Wan leaned on his shoulder, half-closed his eyes, and listened attentively.
"I drank the medicine and fell asleep. When I woke up, only Lu Chengyuan was in my room. He... looked at me with a strange look in his eyes. I just thought he was not feeling well and didn't notice anything wrong with him at all."
Shang Wan frowned, instinctively knowing that the following words were not what she wanted to hear.
"He said he wanted to teach me how to read. He used the excuse that he didn't get enough rest last night, so he brought a book to teach me. While he was teaching, he..." Lu Chengjing paused, as if he found it difficult to speak, but also as if he was gritting his teeth in hatred. He said very quickly, "He took off my pajamas."
Shang Wan's eyes gradually widened. Wait, this is not what she thought it meant, right?
She sat up straight and looked at Lu Chengjing's face, and said as tactfully as possible: "You mean... Lu Chengyuan wants to do something bad to you?"
Lu Chengjing pursed his lips, thinking of what happened that year. Countless emotions surged in his heart, and he finally nodded slightly.
Shang Wan:!!!
"and you……"
"No!" Lu Chengjing grabbed Shang Wan's hand and said coldly, "I took advantage of his unpreparedness and nearly bit off his ear. The servants heard his screams and rushed in, followed by my mother."
His eyelashes trembled slightly. "My mother asked me why I bit my brother, and I... I couldn't tell her."
He knew very well how much hope his parents had for Lu Chengyuan and how much effort they had put into him. If he told his mother the truth, she would definitely not be able to bear the blow.
If he told his father, he might not believe him.
On one side is the eldest son who is highly expected and often praised by his teacher, and on the other side is the sick child who is predicted by the doctor to not live past the age of twenty. What choice will his father make? Little Lu Chengjing already has the answer in his heart.
"So you didn't tell anyone?"
Lu Chengjing nodded.
Even if he said it, no one would believe him after seeing Lu Chengyuan's excellent singing and recitation performance.
When his father heard about this, he rarely stepped into his house, only to punish him with the family law. He was beaten with a cane, which almost killed him.
His mother distanced herself from him day by day, too frightened to get close to him.
The servants in the mansion all said that he was a cold-blooded monster and that not living before the age of twenty was God's punishment for him. They hoped that he would die of illness soon.
After hearing this, the second brother was also afraid of him and dared not visit him again.
Only Lu Chengyuan...
"What happened next? Did that beast stretch out its claws towards you again?" Shang Wan was filled with murderous intent, and he wished he could fly to the Lu family and grind Lu Chengyuan into ashes.
Seeing Shang Wan so angry, the complicated emotions in Lu Chengjing's heart faded a little.
"Since that day, I've been on guard. I even refuse to be alone at night. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't have the chance."
Shang Wan wasn't stupid; she knew immediately how much truth there was in those words. But looking at Lu Chengjing's pale face, she couldn't bear to continue exposing the scar.
"I suddenly remembered that I had something to do." She let go of Lu Chengjing's hand and stood up, a cold light flashing in her eyes. "Shitou will come out later. Let Shitou carry you to bed. You don't have to wait for me."
(End of this chapter)
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